Dialogue itself,
does confess, "My Lord, these reasons, though unhappily the thing seems
to have failed, 'appear to me to be solid and unanswerable.'" Much
more do they to Tempelhof, who sees deeper into the bottom of them than
Mitchell did; and finds that the failure is only superficial. [Mitchell,
_Memoirs and Papers,_ ii. 160 (Despatch, "June 30th, 1760"); Tempelhof,
iv. 44.] The real success, thinks Tempelhof, would be, Could the King
manoeuvre himself into Silesia, and entice a cunctatory Daun away with
him thither. A cunctatory Daun to preside over matters THERE, in
his superstitiously cautious way; leaving Saxony free to the
Reichsfolk,--whom a Hulsen, left with his small remnant in Schlettau,
might easily take charge of, till Silesia were settled?" The plan was
bold, was new, and completely worthy of Friedrich," votes Tempelhof;
"and it required the most consummate delicacy of execution. To lure Daun
on, always with the prospect open to him of knocking you on the head,
and always by your rapidity and ingenuity to take care that he never
got it done." This is Tempelhof's notion: and this, sure enough, was
actually Friedrich's mode of management in the weeks following; though
whether already altogether planned in his head, or only gradually
planning itself, as is more likely, nobody can say. We will look a very
little into the execution, concerning which there is no dubiety:--

WEDNESDAY, 18th JUNE, "Friedrich," as predicted to Mitchell, the night
before, "did start punctually, in three columns, at 3 A.M. [Sun just
rising]; and, after a hot march, got encamped on the southward side
of Radeburg: ready to cross the Rodern Stream there to-morrow, as
if intending for the Lausitz [should that prove needful for alluring
Lacy],--and in the mean while very inquisitive where Lacy might be. One
of Lacy's outposts, those Saxon light horse, was fallen in with; was
chased home, and Lacy's camp discovered, that night. At Bernsdorf, not
three miles to southward or right of us; Daun only another three to
south of him. Let us attack Lacy to-morrow morning; wind round to get
between Daun and him, [Tempelhof, iv. 47-49.]--with fit arrangements;
rapid as light! In the King's tent, accordingly, his Generals are
assembled to take their Orders; brief, distinct, and to be done with
brevity. And all are on the move for Bernsdorf at 4 next morning; when,
behold,--

"THURSDAY, 19th, At Bernsdorf there is no Lacy to be found. Cautions
Dor